Extracorporeal blood processing system
AssigneeGambro AB
InventorsVictor D. Dolecek, John J. Kappus, Mark Joseph Brierton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An extracorporeal blood processing system including a disposable assembly that has integral fluid passageways. A blood removal conduit and a blood return conduit are interconnected with the integral fluid passageways. A diaphragm is mounted in the disposable assembly and is removably attachable to a sensor via a number of connection devices. In one embodiment, the sensor may include a transducer that is capable of measuring the force exerted on the diaphragm. The corresponding force may be correlated to a pressure of fluid in either the blood removal conduit and/or the blood return conduit.
Claims21
An extracorporeal blood processing system in which blood is removed from an individual for processing and returned to the individual, said system comprising:
- a blood removal conduit for transferring blood from a donor/patient;
- a blood return conduit for transferring blood to a donor/patient;
- said blood removal conduit and said blood return conduit being in fluid communication;
- and
- a disposable assembly including a pressure sensing station and a plurality of integral passageways for transporting blood, each of said plurality of integral passageways being partially defined by at least one of said blood removal conduit and said blood return conduit;
- said pressure sensing station including a diaphragm member mounted to said disposable assembly, said diaphragm member having a first surface being in direct fluid communication with one of at least said blood removal conduit and said blood return conduit, said diaphragm member being movably responsive in relation to the fluid pressure commonly occurring within each of such blood removal and blood return conduits;
- a sensor for determining a pressure in one of at least said blood removal conduit and said blood return conduit;
- and
- means for removably attaching a second surface of said diaphragm to said sensor wherein said pressure sensing station co-acts with said sensor to measure the fluid pressure commonly occurring within each of said blood removal and blood return conduits.
A method for measuring pressure in an extracorporeal blood processing system, comprising the steps of:
- introducing blood from a donor/patient into a disposable assembly having at least one blood conduit, said at least one blood conduit having a diaphragm member disposed within a wall of said at least one blood conduit;
- and
- determining a pressure in said at least one blood conduit comprising
- measuring a force of said blood on said diaphragm using a sensor comprising
- measuring strain exerted on said diaphragm by said blood by using a strain gauge;
- and
- measuring stress exerted on said diaphragm by said blood by using a strain gauge;
- and
- calculating a pressure of said blood in said at least one blood conduit using the force exerted on said diaphragm member obtained from said measuring step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.